Blue Jays 7, Yankees 2

NEW YORK (AP) – Shea Hillenbrand hit two home runs to help the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 7-2 on Friday night.

Hillenbrand hit a three-run homer in the sixth and added a solo shot in the ninth.

The Blue Jays struck quickly against Jaret Wright (0-2).

Russ Adams drew a leadoff walk and Frank Catalanotto followed with his second home run of the season, connecting on a 3-2 pitch.

Toronto starter Roy Halladay (3-1) allowed seven hits over 5 1-3 innings but worked his way out of trouble several times, leaving six Yankees runners stranded.

The Yankees tried to respond in the first with one-out singles by Derek Jeter and Gary Sheffield. But Alex Rodriguez hit into a double play, the first of several Yankee threats that Halladay escaped.

New York left two more runners on base in the fourth as Halladay retired Bernie Williams on a grounder, and two more in the fifth when he got Sheffield to pop up.

Wright left in the sixth after a walk to Catalanotto and an infield single by Vernon Wells. Scott Proctor relieved and got two outs before Hillenbrand hit his second home run of the season, extending the lead to 5-0.

Halladay left after retiring the first batter in the sixth with his 99th pitch. Scott Schoeneweis relieved and walked Hideki Matsui with two out. Williams followed with his first home run of the season on a 3-1 pitch.

In the seventh, Jorge Posada opened with a pinch-hit single. After Johnny Damon forced Posada, Justin Speier relieved and struck out Jeter and Sheffield to end the inning.

But in the eighth, Rodriguez led off with a single and Jason Giambi walked. Ryan relieved and retired Matsui on a fly ball before getting Williams to hit into an inning-ending double play.

The Blue Jays added two in the ninth on Hillenbrand’s second home run and a sacrifice fly by Aaron Hill to make it 7-2.

Notes: Hall of Famer Yogi Berra visited the Yankees clubhouse before the game. … The Yankees observed a moment of silence before the game in memory of Steve Howe, who died in a car accident earlier Friday. Howe pitched for the Yankees from 1991-96. … Wright was making just his third appearance of the season and first in 13 days. He threw 84 pitches, 44 for strikes. … Damon’s streak of 19 straight steals ended when Bengie Molina threw him out in the third. …The Yankees turned four double plays in the first five innings.